Typically, an impeller conditioner is provided with an impeller mounted for rotation about a horizontal transverse axis, and with a hood which extends arcuately, from front to rear, about the impeller. The impeller includes a rotor defined by a central cylindrical core to which a plurality of tines are pivotally attached at various locations along, and about, the circumference of the rotor. These tines are mounted so that, as viewed from an end of the rotor, they extend generally radially from the axis of rotation of the rotor when the impeller is being driven, with the tines then being subjected to centrifugal force. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,182,099 and 4,233,803 disclose impellers of this type.
When conditioning crop with an impeller of the type discussed above, some crop does not release correctly for being guided by the shields for forming the crop windrow, but rather is carried over where it is released directly to the ground. The carried over crop that is deposited outside of the normal bounds of a windrow that would normally be formed by the forming shields results in non-uniform looking windrows and causes the crop to dry at different rates.
The solution to non-uniform windrows formed because of crop being carried over by the conditioner tines is the focus of this invention.